Giving thanks For dessert!
by nikinou
Summary: Stan and Peggy leave Peggy's family in Bay Ridge and head to Bensonhurst for dessert with Stan's family


Thanksgiving dessert with Stan's family.

Stella and Bob's house is a massive two story brick house on 85th Street in Bensonhurst. It is beautiful..on the right side, the building has a half round bump out with three tall windows on each of the floors. The tops of the windows on the lower level were stained glass. On the left, five steps, lined with pumpkins, lead to a heavy mahogany front door, framed with beautiful, ornate moulding. On the second floor, above the door, was a single long window. The very top of the house featured a heavy plaster crown moulding. Peggy is awestruck, it is so beautiful.

"You see to the right of the stoop, those stairs there?" Stan pointed. Those three small windows...underneath the big ones." He continued. "I lived there with my mother, until..." He stopped. "Until she died." He takes a deep breath.

"I lived upstairs with Aunt Stella after." Stan looks pensive. "Nonna - that's Stella's mother in law, she lives downstairs now."

"What a beautiful house." Peggy's heart ached for him right now. She wished she had something better to say. What was he remembering, out here on the street?

Peggy knew that his father had left when Stan was a baby, and that Stan's mother died when Stan was young, 13 or 14. Thank God he had Stella. She loved him and raised him like he was her own, and he loved his cousins. He was the only boy in the family for a long time. Laura, Diana, and he were close in age, Geenie was born when Stan was about ten. A few months after Stan's mother Carla died, Stella found out she was pregnant. Stella was grieving for her sister so terribly, and was sick for most of the pregnancy. Robert Carl LoMastro was born when Stan was 15 years old. The two boys shared a bedroom in that big house until Stan moved out.

Robbie joined the Navy on what seemed like a whim. At Stella's behest, Stan tried his best to talk Robbie out of enlisting. Robbie was headstrong and excited by the prospect of "seeing the world". He died in March. Twenty years old. He only ever saw the river banks of Vietnam.

"Come on, baby. It's getting dark and cold, let's get inside." They walk up the steps. The sounds of music and kids and laughter can be heard, even through that heavy door. Stan rings the doorbell which plays a loud Westminster chime. Peggy hears a woman's voice exclaim..."They're here! Open the door! Let them in, don't make them stand out there."

Uncle Bob swings open the big door and smiles broadly at them both. "Get ovah here you!" Bob addresses Stan. He grabs Stan and pulls him into a big bear hug. "Congratulations, my boy," bob releases Stan, then hugs Peggy.

"Welcome to the family!"

Stella is walking up behind Bob, drying her hands on an apron. She is a pretty woman, in her mid fifties. She is a little on the plump side, but it suits her. Her hair is dyed a too dark black, but she is very pretty. "You mean welcome to the nuthouse!" Stella addresses Peggy..."I'm Stella, and we have been dying to meet you. Dying. He never tells us nothin' our Stan. We never meet anybody he dates. And now he's getting married. You must be a special woman!"

Stan hugs and kisses Stella on the cheek. "She is special, you will love her."

Stella turns to him and says "Stanny, honey, if you love her, then I love her."

"Ya see, Pegs. She loves you." Stan reassures Peggy.

Peggy is starting to relax. His family is warm, open and passionette. Like Stan.

The dining room is taken over by what looks like the longest table ever. They are just clearing away dishes, but the sideboard is loaded with everything you can think of. All the traditional Thanksgiving fare, plus pasta, meatballs, sausage. Cousins, kids, family friends who have dropped by are milling around, laughing. All of the adults seem to have a nice buzz on...empty wine bottles are also on the table. The smells are all so wonderful..it smells like a restaurant, or like those Italian delis Stan loves to get sandwiches from. (Or when he like to tease her...he asks what kind of sangweech she wants.)

Stella tells them "I have a half of tray of lasagna left that's still warm in the oven. I'll fix you a dish."

"Aunt Stella" Stan tries to explain. "We just ate at Peggy's mom's. We're here for coffee." He hands Stella the bottle of Amaretto they brought.

"Mmmmmmmmmm. DiSaronno, my favorite." Stella loves her Amaretto. "Ok, so I'll wrap it up for you. I got so much food, what am I gonna do with all this?" She is gesturing wildly with her hands, much like Stan does when he wants to make a point.

Peggy doesn't quite understand lasagna for Thanksgiving. But she knows she likes it here. They are loud and boisterous, but it sure beats the sad sacks in her own family.


End file.
